U.S. patent application number 14/737775 was filed with the patent office on 2015-12-17 for method for the installation with an electronic device of an outdoor unit and electronic device for such an installation.
The applicant listed for this patent is EUTELSAT S A. Invention is credited to Simon GRAY, Jerome ICHARD, Thomas LOHREY.
Application Number | 20150365280 14/737775 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 50979547 |
Filed Date | 2015-12-17 |
United States Patent
Application |
20150365280 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
LOHREY; Thomas ; et
al. |
December 17, 2015 |
METHOD FOR THE INSTALLATION WITH AN ELECTRONIC DEVICE OF AN OUTDOOR
UNIT AND ELECTRONIC DEVICE FOR SUCH AN INSTALLATION
Abstract
A method for installing an outdoor unit, the outdoor unit for
receiving signals from a satellite, the method including
determining, with an electronic device, pointing information to be
applied to the outdoor unit; receiving signal quality information
on the electronic device and from an indoor unit, the indoor unit
including a modem or receiver and being connected to the outdoor
unit, and pointing the outdoor unit according to the received
signal quality information.
Inventors: |
LOHREY; Thomas; (Magny Les
Hameaux, FR) ; ICHARD; Jerome; (Paris, FR) ;
GRAY; Simon; (Bievres, FR) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
EUTELSAT S A |
Paris |
|
FR |
|
|
Family ID: |
50979547 |
Appl. No.: |
14/737775 |
Filed: |
June 12, 2015 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
370/254 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G08C 2201/20 20130101;
H01Q 1/1257 20130101; H04W 64/003 20130101; G08C 17/00 20130101;
H04L 41/0806 20130101; H04W 24/10 20130101 |
International
Class: |
H04L 12/24 20060101
H04L012/24; H04W 64/00 20060101 H04W064/00; H04W 24/10 20060101
H04W024/10; H04W 4/02 20060101 H04W004/02 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jun 13, 2014 |
EP |
14172444.3 |
Claims
1. A method for installing an outdoor unit, the outdoor unit for
receiving signals from a satellite, the method comprising:
determining, with an electronic device, pointing information to be
applied to the outdoor unit; receiving signal quality information
on the electronic device and from an indoor unit, the indoor unit
comprising a modem or receiver and being connected to the outdoor
unit, and pointing the outdoor unit according to the received
signal quality information.
2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising configuring
the indoor unit in a correct installation mode.
3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the signal quality
information received by the electronic device is transmitted from
the indoor unit through a wireless link.
4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the pointing
information to be applied to the outdoor unit is determined by the
electronic device based on geographical position information
obtained by a GPS module of the electronic device.
5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the pointing
information to be applied to the antenna is displayed by a
graphical indication on a screen of the electronic device, the
graphical indication representing a generic or specific antenna to
be installed in the correct position.
6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising checking,
within the electronic device, an operation of a wireless link
between said electronic device and the indoor unit, and an
operation of a GPS module of said electronic device.
7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising displaying
the signal quality information on a screen of the electronic device
as an instantaneous value of a signal quality determined by the
indoor unit, said signal being relevant for correctly positioning
the outdoor unit.
8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the reception signal
quality information is restored by the electronic device as a sound
signal whose frequency and/or pulse and/or intensity varies with
the reception signal quality information.
9. The method according to claim 1, further comprising validating
the outdoor unit installation by comparing the signal quality
information to a predetermined threshold value, the outdoor unit
installation being validated only if the threshold value is
reached.
10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the comparison
operation consists in comparing the signal quality to a minimum
value, the installation of the outdoor unit being validated only if
the signal quality exceeds the minimum value.
11. The method according to claim 1, further comprising
transmitting from the electronic device to a data processing
center, a set of information detailing the outdoor unit
installation.
12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the set of
information dealing with the outdoor unit installation is sent as a
secure electronic message
13. The method according to claim 11, wherein the set of
information dealing with the outdoor unit installation comprises at
least one picture of the installed outdoor unit, the picture having
been taken with the electronic device.
14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the electronic device
is a smartphone or a tablet.
15. An electronic device for the implementation of the method
according to claim 1, said electronic device being used for the
installation of an outdoor unit comprising an antenna and a low
noise converter (LNB), the electronic device comprising: a
processor for determining pointing information to be applied to the
outdoor unit based on geographical pointing information obtained by
a GPS module of the electronic device, and a device for receiving
reception signal quality information transmitted from an indoor
unit comprising a modem or a receiver connected to the outdoor unit
to be installed.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims priority to European Patent
Application No. 14172444.3, filed Jun. 13, 2014, the entire content
of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
FIELD
[0002] The present invention relates to a method for the
installation of an outdoor unit (O.D.U), the installation being
made with a single electronic device able to help the installer and
to give appropriate information during different steps of the
installation. The present invention also relates to the electronic
device used during the installation. The invention also relates
advantageously to reporting on the installation to a third
party.
[0003] By "O.D.U", it should be understood all the elements that
constitute what is commonly called a "satellite antenna"; these
elements include a satellite dish (also called "antenna"), a Low
Noise Converter--LNB, in some examples a transmitter- and various
mechanical elements involved in pointing the satellite dish and the
LNB.
[0004] The O.D.U cooperates with an indoor unit (I.D.U), which is
either a satellite TV receiver or a modem, placed inside a house.
The receiver allows the reception of television signals and
displays them on a screen. Most of the time, the O.D.U and the
I.D.U. are linked by a physical wire. This physical wire allows the
transmission of signals emitted by a satellite and received by the
O.D.U from the O.D.U to the I.D.U., and in some systems, this
physical wire allows also the transmission of signals from the
I.D.U. to the O.D.U and to the satellite.
BACKGROUND
[0005] Proper installation of a satellite dish remains a difficult
operation for users. They often prefer to hire a professional
installer. If a user wants to install his own O.D.U, the user often
has to climb a ladder to fix the O.D.U in a suitable location of
his/her dwelling. Smartphone Apps or Tools are available to help to
choose a correct installation position and even roughly direct the
dish to receive the satellite signals. For example, the smartphone
indicates the elevation angle and azimuth direction to apply to the
dish. Once the dish has been directed according to the smartphone's
indications, the user has then to enter his home to check whether
the signals are correctly received and transmitted to the
I.D.U.
[0006] In most cases, the user has to make a number of return
journeys to refine the positioning of the dish until the dish is in
the correct position and supplies good signal quality. These
operations make the installation of the O.D.U long and laborious.
The use of acoustic signals which are provided in some cases at the
O.D.U are so far not sufficiently accurate and sometimes not able
to identify the correct satellite. This often results in the user
returning between the O.D.U and the I.D.U. Satellite level meters
inserted in the physical cable between the IDU and the ODU have the
same disadvantages as the acoustic signal described above.
[0007] In addition, different operators clearly prefer the
installation of O.D.U being performed by professional installer, so
that the installation can be validated. If a malfunction occurs
after proper installation of the antenna (such a malfunction can
occur for different reasons, for example a fast growing vegetation
which obscures the satellite signal from and the dish). If that
installation has not been done by a professional installer, a
remote technical assistance will lack information to help the user
solve the problems on his own O.D.U.
SUMMARY
[0008] As aspect of the invention aims to remedy all or some of the
disadvantages of the above identified background. An embodiment of
the invention essentially makes the installation of O.D.U easy for
all users, no returns between the O.D.U and the I.D.U. being
necessary. An aspect of the invention aims to substitute the use of
expensive analyzers when pointing an ODU usually used by
professionals. Beneficially, an aspect of the invention also
proposes to easily make a reporting of the installation which can
then be used by the operators to validate the installation.
[0009] The reporting element of various embodiments of the
invention allows system or network operators to have information
relating to the original installation of the O.D.U and allows
troubleshooting and monitoring actions to be performed.
[0010] A first aspect of the invention relates to a method for the
installation of an outdoor unit, the outdoor unit for receiving
signals from a satellite, the method comprising: [0011] on the
electronic device determining the pointing information to be
applied to the outdoor unit; [0012] receiving signal quality
information on the electronic device and from an indoor unit, the
indoor unit comprising a modem or receiver and being connected to
the outdoor unit; [0013] pointing the outdoor unit according to the
received signal quality information.
[0014] According to various embodiments, such a method of
installation comprises one or more of the features below, which
should be considered in any possible technical combinations: [0015]
on the electronic device, determining the ideal installation
position with a clear line of sight to the satellite; [0016] on the
electronic device, determining the IDU configuration information
based on previously programmed information and GPS coordinates;
[0017] once the I.D.U. is configured correctly for installation
mode, the I.D.U. will identify the correct satellite and pass this
information to the electronic device; [0018] the method of
installation comprises the step of configuring the I.D.U. in a
correct installation mode; [0019] once the I.D.U. is configured
correctly for installation mode, the I.D.U. identifies the correct
satellite and passes this information to the electronic device.
[0020] the signal quality information received by the electronic
device is transmitted from the I.D.U. through a wireless link;
[0021] the signal quality information received by the electronic
device is transmitted from the I.D.U. through a wireless link
established between the electronic device and a wireless device
plugged onto the I.D.U; [0022] the pointing information to be
applied to the outdoor unit is determined by the electronic device
based on geographical position information obtained by a GPS module
of the electronic device; [0023] the pointing information to be
applied to the antenna is displayed by a graphical indication
displayed on a screen of the electronic device, the graphical
indication representing the antenna to be installed in the correct
position; [0024] the method of installation comprises the prior
step of checking, within the electronic device, the operation of a
wireless link between the electronic device and the indoor unit,
and the operation of a GPS module of the electronic device; [0025]
the signal quality information is displayed on a screen of the
electronic device as an instantaneous value of signal quality
determined by the I.D.U., the signal being relevant for correctly
positioning the O.D.U.; [0026] the electronic device stores an
optimum value of the signal quality during the step of the O.D.U
positioning; [0027] the signal quality information is restored by
the electronic device as a sound signal whose frequency and/or
pulse and/or intensity varies with the signal quality information;
[0028] the method of installation comprises a validation step of
the outdoor unit installation including an operation consisting in
comparing the signal quality information to a predetermined
threshold value, the O.D.U installation being validated only if the
threshold value is reached; [0029] the I.D.U. use is disabled until
the O.D.U installation is validated; [0030] the comparison
operation consists in comparing the signal quality to a minimum
value, the installation of the O.D.U being validated only if the
signal quality exceeds the minimum value; [0031] the method of
installation comprises the further step of transmitting from the
electronic device to a data processing center, a set of information
detailing [0032] the set of information dealing with the O.D.U
installation is sent as secure electronic message. This message
allows the verification of the semantic integrity; [0033] the set
of information dealing with the O.D.U installation comprises at
least one picture of the installed antenna, the picture having been
taken with the electronic device;
[0034] Another aspect of the invention relates to an electronic
device for the implementation of the method according to the
invention, the electronic device being used for the installation of
an O.D.U comprising an antenna and a LNB, the electronic device
comprising: [0035] a device or processor for determining pointing
information to be applied to the outdoor unit based on geographical
positioning information obtained by a GPS module of the electronic
device [0036] a device for receiving signal quality information
transmitted from an I.D.U. comprising a modem or a receiver
connected to the O.D.U to be installed.
[0037] The electronic device according to the invention is
beneficially a smartphone or a tablet.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
[0038] Some embodiments of the present invention are now described,
by way of example only, and with reference to the accompanying
drawings, in which:
[0039] FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of different elements
involved in the method according to an embodiment of the invention,
and the exchanges between these elements;
[0040] FIG. 2 is a first screenshot, corresponding to a step of the
method according to an embodiment of the invention, of a screen of
an electronic device used in the method according to an embodiment
of the invention if there is no Wi Fi connection;
[0041] FIG. 3 is second screenshot, corresponding to a step of an
embodiment of the method according to the invention, of the screen
of the electronic device if there is no GPS information for the
electronic device;
[0042] FIG. 4 is third screenshot, corresponding to a step of the
method according to an embodiment of the invention, of the screen
of the electronic device; this screen displays the pointing data
for the ODU and a modem configuration;
[0043] FIG. 5 is fourth screenshot, corresponding to a step of the
method according to an embodiment of the invention, of the screen
of the electronic device; this screen shot displays the current and
Peak SNR values (Signal to Noise Ratio) displayed during the
pointing of the antenna, and
[0044] FIG. 6-A and FIG. 6-B are respectively a fifth and a sixth
screenshot, corresponding to a step of the method according to an
embodiment of the invention, of the screen of the electronic
device; these screenshots confirm the successful delivery or
failure to deliver the installation report.
[0045] The same reference number represents the same element to the
same type of element on all drawings, unless stated otherwise.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0046] The figures and the following description illustrate
specific exemplary embodiments of the invention. It will thus be
appreciated that those skilled in the art will be able to devise
various arrangements that, although not explicitly described or
shown herein, embody the principles of the invention and are
included within the scope of the invention. Furthermore, any
examples described herein are intended to aid in understanding the
principles of the invention, and are to be construed as being
without limitation to such specifically recited examples and
conditions. As a result, the invention is not limited to the
specific embodiments or examples described below, but by the claims
and their equivalents.
[0047] Referring to FIG. 1, it is depicted a schematic
representation of different elements involved in the method
according to the invention, and the exchanges between these
elements.
[0048] On this picture, an O.D.U 101 has to be installed on a house
102, typically on the wall of the house 102. The O.D.U 101 is
linked to an I.D.U. 103 located inside the house and connected to a
TV set 120 or a Personal Computer. The link between the O.D.U 101
and the I.D.U. 103 is a wire 104 that allows an exchange of
information between these two units. In the case of a "Tooway"
system, the exchange of information is bidirectional.
[0049] A user 105 wants to install the antenna on his dwelling. The
user is equipped with an electronic device 106 which can be for
example a smartphone, or a tablet, or any other electronic device
comprising a screen and small enough to be easily brought up a
ladder for example. Thus, in the embodiment, the electronic device
106 is a handlet that is easily transportable. A specific
application APP is memorized in the electronic device 106 in order
to achieve the described example of the invention. The electronic
device 106 includes several physical or hardware components. For
example, the electronic device 106 includes a physical processor, a
screen and a memory (broadly termed "machine readable medium"). The
memory includes specific machine executable instructions for
carrying out the application APP, and in particular for carrying
out one or more steps of the method according to the invention and
also various feature(s) of the application APP. The physical
processor is arranged to be in communication with the memory to
execute the machine executable instructions. As a non-limiting
example, the physical processor is configured to execute specific
machine executable instructions for carrying out various checks (as
described hereinafter), for determining the pointing information
(including the various comparison and mathematical operations to
determine the pointing information), for displaying or causing to
display the various information (as described hereinafter, e.g.
data, messages, graphs, . . . ), for transmitting or causing to
transmit various data (as described hereinafter, e.g. data,
commands, . . . ) and for processing various data (collected for
example by its receiver/antenna and the GPS module).
[0050] On the described example, the application proceeds with
preliminary check operations: a first check consists in making sure
that a wireless (wi-fi, blue tooth, or other . . . ) connection
exists between the electronic device 106 and the I.D.U. 103,
especially with the modem or receiver of the I.D.U. 103. If no
connection is detected, an appropriate message 201 (FIG. 2) is
displayed on the screen of the electronic device 106. A second
check consists in making sure that a GPS module 107 of the
electronic device 106 is working and can receive useful GPS
information. If the GPS module 107 of the electronic device 106 is
not working, an error message 301 (FIG. 3) is displayed on the
screen of the electronic device 106. In accordance with an
embodiment of the invention, the first and second checks can be
conducted by the processor of the electronic device 106 in
accordance with specific machine executable instructions.
[0051] Once the preliminary checks achieved, the user 105 gets
through the GPS module 107 of the electronic device 106 a pointing
information. The pointing information is determined by the
electronic device 106 based on geographical position information
obtained by the GPS module 107. In an embodiment of the invention,
machine executable instructions are executed by the processor of
the electronic device 106 to determine the pointing information.
The pointing information is displayed on the screen of the
electronic device 106 (FIG. 4). The pointing information determined
by the processor gives a value for an elevation 401 and a value for
an azimuth 402 to apply to the antenna of the O.D.U 101. To help
the user 105 to correctly orientate the antenna, a graphical
indication 403 is displayed on the screen of the electronic device
106, the graphical indication 403 showing the antenna to be
installed in the correct position. In some embodiments, as shown on
FIG. 4, two different kinds of antenna are represented, the user
having the possibility to determine which represented antenna
corresponds to the antenna he has to install. Simultaneously, an
information 404 dealing with the appropriate spot to use for a
certain transmitting VSAT system is also displayed on the screen of
the electronic device 106.
[0052] In some embodiments, thanks to the specific application of
the electronic device 106, the electronic device will configure the
I.D.U. 103 in a correct installation mode. The following steps will
occur: [0053] ascertaining on which spot the electronic device 106
should program the I.D.U. 103; this information 404 is given by the
electronic device 106; [0054] sending a command from the electronic
device 106 to the I.D.U. 103 in order to activate an installation
mode on the I.D.U. 103, [0055] sending a command from the
electronic device 106 to the I.D.U. 103 in order to indicate to the
modem or receiver which spot or coverage to choose, the spot
defining the polarization and the frequency to look for during the
installation of the O.D.U 101.
[0056] When the user 105 starts to move the antenna, the user then
instantaneously receives on the electronic device 106 a signal
quality information SQI. On FIG. 5, this signal quality information
is a signal quality giving a current SNR value 501 which is
displayed on the screen of the electronic device 106. In other
embodiments, the signal quality information SQI is not a signal to
noise ratio, but a value which can correspond for example to CBER,
VBER, MER, C/N, Power, dBm and dBu. The reception signal quality
information SQI is transmitted by the I.D.U. 103 to the electronic
device 106 by a wireless link 108; beneficially, the wireless link
is established between the electronic device 106 and a wireless
device 109 plugged onto the I.D.U. 103. The user 105 moves the
antenna accordingly, pointing the O.D.U 101 according to the
received signal quality information SQL
[0057] Beneficially, the electronic device 106 stores an optimum
value 502 of the signal quality during the O.D.U 101 pointing.
Thus, if the user 105 keeps on moving the antenna after having
reached the optimum value 502, the user knows that he/sher can get
again this optimum 502 value by moving back the antenna.
[0058] Beneficially, the reception signal quality information SQI
is restored by the electronic device 106 as a sound signal whose
frequency, pulse and/or intensity varies with the reception signal
quality information.
[0059] In an embodiment, when the user thinks that he/she has
completed the installation of the O.D.U 101, the user proceeds,
through the electronic device 106, to a validation step. To this
end, some data is sent from the electronic device 106 using the
specific application to a remote data center 110.
[0060] More specifically, the following data can be transmitted
from the electronic device to the remote data center: [0061] the
current value of the signal quality once the O.D.U 101 is no longer
moved by the user 105;
[0062] some pictures PIC of the installation taken by a camera 111
of the electronic device 106; these pictures will notably allow the
remote data center 110 to determine the reasons of a possible
future failure; [0063] the GPS location of the installation
location.
[0064] The specific application APP can use a message, for example
an e-mail to send through a cellular network this data to a remote
data center 110. The data, and especially the current value of the
signal quality will be compared to a predetermined threshold value,
the O.D.U 101 installation being validated only if the threshold
value is reached. In another embodiment, this comparison is
computed in the electronic device 106 itself.
[0065] In some embodiments, the I.D.U. 103 use is disabled until
the O.D.U 101 installation is validated. The message is secured and
has a unique semantic integrity which is associated with the
particular installation.
[0066] A message 601 of unsuccessful installation (FIG. 6-A), or if
necessary a failure message 602 (FIG. 6-B) is then sent from the
remote data center 110 to the electronic device 106.
[0067] It will be appreciated by one skilled in the art that the
disclosed arrangements and methods described herein represent a
solution to the technological problem currently faced by installers
of a satellite dish.
[0068] Having described and illustrated the principles of the
invention with reference to various embodiments, it will be
recognized that the various embodiments can be modified in
arrangement and detail without departing from such principles. It
should be understood that the device(s), modules, processor(s),
processes, or methods described herein described herein are not
related or limited to any particular type of computing environment,
unless indicated otherwise. Various types of specialized computing
environments may be used with or perform operations in accordance
with the teachings described herein. Elements of embodiments shown
in software may be implemented in hardware and vice versa.
[0069] Execution of the sequences of machine instructions contained
in a memory causes the processor or processing unit to perform at
least some of the process steps or function(s) of the procedures
described herein. One or more physical processors or physical
processing units in a multi-processing arrangement may also be
employed to execute the sequences of instructions contained in the
memory or machine/computer readable medium. In alternative
embodiments, hard-wired circuitry may be used in place of or in
combination with software instructions.
[0070] The term "computer readable medium" or "machine readable
medium" or "machine storage medium" or "memory" as used herein
refers to any medium that participates in providing instructions to
a processor or processing unit for execution. Such a medium is
non-transitory and may take many forms, including but not limited
to, non-volatile media, volatile media, and transmission media.
Non-volatile media include, for example, optical or magnetic disks.
Volatile media include dynamic memory. Transmission media include
coaxial cables, copper wire and fiber optics. Common forms of
computer/machine readable media include, for example, a floppy
disk, a flexible disk, hard disk, magnetic tape, any other magnetic
medium, a CD-ROM, DVD, any other optical medium, punch cards, paper
tape, any other physical medium with patterns of holes, a RAM, a
PROM, and EPROM, a FLASH-EPROM, any other memory chip or cartridge,
a carrier wave as described hereinafter, or any other medium from
which a computer can read.
[0071] Various forms of computer/machine readable media may be
involved in carrying one or more sequences of one or more
instructions to processor for execution.
[0072] Computer programs comprising machine executable instructions
for implementing at least one of the steps of the method described
herein or function(s) of various elements of the structural
arrangement can be implemented by one or more computers or
computing modules comprising at least an interface, a physical
processor and a non-transitory memory (also broadly referred to as
a non-transitory machine readable or storage medium). The computer
is a special purpose computer as it is programmed to perform
specific steps of the method(s) described above. The non-transitory
memory is encoded or programmed with specific code instructions for
carrying out the above method(s) and its/their associated steps.
The non-transitory memory may be arranged in communication with the
physical processor or processing units so that the physical
processor, in use, reads and executes the specific code
instructions embedded in the non-transitory memory. The interface
of the special purpose computer may be arranged in communication
with the physical processor and receives input parameters that are
processed by the physical processor.
* * * * *